Image capture apparatus and control method thereof

ABSTRACT

An image capturing apparatus, comprises a detector configured to detect a focus adjustment position in an image, a processor configured to generate a composite image in which a guide indicating the detected position is superimposed on the image, a display configured to display the composite image generated by the processor, and a controller configured to update, in accordance with information of the position detected by the detector, display information used for processing for generating the composite image.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention is related to a technique for displaying a focusframe in an image.

Description of the Related Art

In digital cameras and digital video cameras, a live view image isdisplayed on a display or electronic view finder (EVF) in the camera ora display unit external to the camera, and shooting is performed whileconfirming a shooting target.

Also, an auto focus (AF) function is provided in digital cameras anddigital video cameras. A photographer can confirm a focus position inthe image by an AF function, but confirmation of the focus position isdifficult in a small camera since the display is also small and theresolution is low.

Accordingly, as supplementary information for confirming the focusposition in the image, for example, there is a method of displaying aframe at a focus position of the image, a method of enlarging anddisplaying a part of the image, and a method called peaking of thicklycoloring a contour of an object in the display. Also, in Japanese PatentLaid-Open No. 2016-58764, a method of using object distance informationto display only an image of a region that is in-focus, and not displayother image regions is described.

However, in the foregoing conventional techniques, there are cases inwhich time is required for image processing, and the display processingfor the guide for confirming the focus position in the image cannotfollow the movement of an object or focus detection.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in consideration of theaforementioned problems, and realizes techniques for acceleratingdisplay processing for a guide for confirming a focus position in animage, and enabling display that follows object movement and focusdetection.

In order to solve the aforementioned problems, the present inventionprovides an image capturing apparatus, comprising: a detector configuredto detect a focus adjustment position in an image; a processorconfigured to generate a composite image in which a guide indicating thedetected position is superimposed on the image; a display configured todisplay the composite image generated by the processor; and a controllerconfigured to update, in accordance with information of the positiondetected by the detector, display information used for processing forgenerating the composite image.

In order to solve the aforementioned problems, the present inventionprovides a method for controlling an image capture apparatus having adetector, a processor, a display and a controller, the methodcomprising: detecting a focus adjustment position in an image;generating a composite image in which a guide indicating the detectedposition is superimposed on the image; displaying the composite imagegenerated by the processor; and updating, in accordance with informationof the position detected by the detector, display information used forprocessing for generating the composite image.

In order to solve the aforementioned problems, the present inventionprovides a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing aprogram for causing a computer to execute a method for controlling animage capture apparatus having a detector, a processor, a display and acontroller, the method comprising: detecting a focus adjustment positionin an image; generating a composite image in which a guide indicatingthe detected position is superimposed on the image; displaying thecomposite image generated by the processor; and updating, in accordancewith information of the position detected by the detector, displayinformation used for processing for generating the composite image.

According to the present invention, processing for displaying a guidefor confirming a focus position in an image is accelerated, and displaythat follows object movement and focus detection is enabled.

Further features of the present invention will become apparent from thefollowing description of exemplary embodiments (with reference to theattached drawings).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a block diagram for illustrating an apparatus configurationof a first embodiment.

FIG. 1B is a block diagram for illustrating an apparatus configurationof a second embodiment.

FIG. 2A is a flowchart for illustrating AF frame display processing ofthe first embodiment.

FIG. 2B is a flowchart for illustrating AF frame display processing ofthe second embodiment.

FIGS. 3A to 3E are views for describing AF frame generation processingof the first embodiment.

FIGS. 4A to 4G are views for describing AF frame generation processingof the second embodiment.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are timing charts for illustrating AF frame displayprocessing of the first and second embodiments.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are views for exemplifying an AF frame and displayinformation for the AF frame.

FIG. 7 is a view exemplifying an LUT used to generate an AF frame.

FIGS. 8A to 8C are views for exemplifying pixel arrays of imagingelements.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below.The following embodiments are merely examples for practicing the presentinvention. The embodiments should be properly modified or changeddepending on various conditions and the structure of an apparatus towhich the present invention is applied. The present invention should notbe limited to the following embodiments. Also, parts of the embodimentsto be described later may be properly combined.

First Embodiment

In the first embodiment, description is given of AF frame displayprocessing in which only AF frames corresponding to an in-focus positionof an object in all AF frames arranged two-dimensionally in an imagingscreen are displayed to be superimposed on a live view image, and theother AF frames are not displayed.

First, using FIG. 1A, a configuration of an image capture apparatus ofthe first embodiment will be described.

The digital camera 10 of the present embodiment is not limited to adigital camera or a digital video camera having an autofocus function,and application to an information processing apparatus such as a mobilephone, to a smart device which is a type thereof, or to a tabletterminal that have a camera function is also possible.

An optical system 100 comprises an imaging lens, a shutter, an aperture,or the like. An image sensor 101 comprises an imaging element such as aCCD, a CMOS, or the like. The image sensor 101 photoelectricallyconverts the quantity of the light incident through the optical system100 and a subject image that was formed by focus adjustment, and therebygenerates an analog image signal. Also, the image sensor 101 has an ADconversion unit for converting an analog signal into a digital signal.In each pixel of an imaging element of the image sensor 101, a colorfilter of either R (red), G (green), or B (blue) is arranged regularlyin a mosaic, wherein, for example, there is a set of one red pixel, oneblue pixel, and two green pixels for every four pixels. Such a pixelarranged is referred to as a Bayer array. FIG. 8A exemplifies a case inwhich, for each RGB pixel 801, 802, and 803, one pixel is configured bya single region. FIG. 8B exemplifies a case in which, for each RGB pixel811, 812, 821, 822, 831, and 832, one pixel is configured by two regions(an A image region and a B image region). In the present embodiment, anexample in which an image sensor (divided pixel sensor) of the structureof FIG. 8B is employed will be described.

FIG. 8C exemplifies the structure of the image sensor 101 of FIG. 8B. InFIG. 8C, light receiving elements for the A image 811, 821, and 831receive light that has passed through an A image region of an imaginglens 100, and light receiving elements for the B image 812, 822, and 832receive light that has passed through a B image region of the imaginglens 100. By receiving the A image and the B image of the same imaginglens in the divided region of each pixel through a single microlens 840,it is possible to obtain two image signals for which there is parallax.

The image signal generated by the image sensor 101 is outputted to afocus/object detector 102 as Bayer image information.

A focus/object detector 102 outputs, to a development processor 103,Bayer image information resulting from adding image information obtainedfrom each of the A image region and the B image region illustrated inFIG. 8C. Also, the focus/object detector 102 has a function fordetecting an object in a live view image, a function for detecting adistance of an object, and a function for detecting a degree of focus(degree of out-of-focus) of an object. High-frequency components (edgeinformation of an object) are extracted from the image information andan object is detected based on the size of the extracted components. AFIR (Finite Impulse Response) type bandpass filter, for example, is usedas the method of extracting the edge information. Also, the locations atwhich edge information is extracted may be all locations of the imageinformation, and it is possible to designate a location at which toextract the edge information of a portion in the image informationaccording to object distance information. The object distance and degreeof focus are calculated from the parallax information obtained by acorrelation calculation for the respective image information of the Aimage region and the B image region. The focus/object detector 102detects a plurality of faces in the image information, for example, andcalculates distance information and a degree of focus of each detectedface, and outputs these to a controller 104.

A development processor 103 obtains Bayer image information from thefocus/object detector 102, and performs offset adjustment, gainadjustment, and gamma correction processing on the RGB image signal.Gamma correction is processing for generating, based on characteristicsof a lens of the optical system 100, characteristics of the image sensor101, or the like, image data of tone characteristics that the userdesires. The user can change gamma correction values to generate imagedata for display on a display or to generate image data in which afeeling or tone of a movie film is reproduced. Also, the developmentprocessor 103 converts the RGB image signal into a luminance signal (Y)and color difference signals (Cb and Cr), and outputs the result to adisplay processor 107. Also, the development processor 103 performs lensdistortion aberration correction processing, camera vibration dampingprocessing, noise reduction processing, and the like.

The controller 104 includes a CPU 104 a which is an arithmeticprocessing unit and a memory 104 b which stores a program that the CPU104 a executes, and controls operation of the entire digital camera 10.In the memory 104 b, a later-described AF frame setting table is stored,and the content of the table can be updated by the CPU 104 a.

As illustrated in FIG. 3B, an all-AF-frames image 302 is imageinformation in which guides (AF frames) 303 of a quantity equal to thenumber of positions (distance measurement points) at which detection ispossible in the entire imaging screen (the entire imaged image) of theimage sensor 101 are rendered. An AF frame 303 is a graphic image of aframe that displays a focus adjustment position (in-focus position) inan image. The all-AF-frames image 302 may be stored in advance in animage memory such as a DRAM (not shown graphically) or the like, andconfiguration may be taken so as generate the all-AF-frames image 302 bythe controller 104 or a rendering processor such as a GPU (GraphicsProcessing Unit) (not shown graphically). FIG. 3E illustrates anenlargement of three AF frames 303 a, 303 b, and 303 c of the top-leftend of the all-AF-frames image 302 of FIG. 3B. For the pixels indicatedby the frame 0, the pixel value [0] is held, for the pixels indicated bythe frame 1, the pixel value [1] is held, and for a region 303 dindicated by hatching other than the frames, information such as thepixel value [1023], for example, is held.

An AF frame information generation unit 105, based on object distanceinformation and degree-of-focus information obtained from the controller104, generates display information for generating an AF frame image 304of FIG. 3C. In the AF frame image 304 of FIG. 3C, it is possible todisplay, out of the all-AF-frames image 302 of FIG. 3B, only the AFframes 305 corresponding to the in-focus position when superimposingonto the live view image. The display information is stored in a lookuptable (LUT) for AF frame settings as illustrated in FIG. 3D, and the CPU104 a of the controller 104 updates the content of the LUT in accordancewith the successively detected in-focus positions. The LUT includesframe numbers of the AF frames 303, color information for each framenumber, and transparency information (an a value in alpha blending), forexample. The color information includes a luminance value and colordifference values and/or R (red), G (green), and B (blue) values.

A display processor 107 obtains the all-AF-frames image 302 of FIG. 3B.Also, the display processor 107, based on the display information (LUT)generated by the AF frame information generation unit 105, generates theAF frame image 304 where only the AF frames 305 of FIG. 3C whichcorrespond to in-focus positions are displayable (α=100%) out of theall-AF-frames image 302 of FIG. 3B. Regarding the AF frames in theall-AF-frames image 302 of FIG. 3B other than the AF frames 305 of FIG.3C corresponding to the in-focus position, the compositing ratio α=0% isset. AF frames whose a value (compositing ratio) is 100% are displays asopaque with a transparency of 0%, and the AF frames whose a value(compositing ratio) is 0% are displayed as transparent with atransparency of 100%. Also, the display processor 107 performs alphablending in which the generated AF frame image 304 is superimposed onthe live view image outputted from the development processor 103 inaccordance with the α values (compositing ratios), and outputs compositeimage information 301 illustrated in FIG. 3A to a display apparatus 108together with a synchronization signal for display. The synchronizationsignal for display is a horizontal direction synchronization signal forthe image, a vertical direction synchronization signal for the image, aneffective image position synchronization signal, or the like.

<AF Frame Display Processing During Shooting>

Next, with reference to FIG. 2A, AF frame display processing by thedigital camera of the present embodiment will be described.

FIG. 2A is a flowchart for illustrating AF frame display processing atthe time of shooting performed by the digital camera of the presentembodiment. Note that the processing of FIG. 2A is implemented by theCPU 104 a of the controller 104 executing a program stored in the memory104 b, and thereby controlling each part of the camera. Note that theprocessing of FIG. 2A is started when the digital camera 10 is activatedand an AF mode is set.

In step S201, the CPU 104 a obtains object distance informationcalculated by the focus/object detector 102. The focus/object detector102 calculates object distance information from parallax informationobtained from the A image region and the B image region of the imaginglens 100 illustrated in FIG. 8C, and outputs it to the controller 104.

In step S202, the CPU 104 a obtains focus information indicating adegree of focus of the object calculated by the focus/object detector102.

In step S203, the CPU 104 a, based on the object distance obtained instep S201 and the focus information obtained in step S202, determineswhether it is possible to detect a in-focus position in the live viewimage.

In a case where a in-focus position cannot be detected in step S203, theCPU 104 a, after making the AF frames non-displayed in step S204,returns to step S202 and obtains focus information once again.Meanwhile, in a case where it is possible to detect a in-focus positionin step S203, the CPU 104 a, in step S205, rewrites the LUT(hereinafter, the AF frame setting table) for AF frame settings of FIG.3D in accordance with the in-focus position. For example, in a casewhere in-focus positions are the six regions of the frame numbers 18,30, 31, 43, 44, and 57 in the all-AF-frames image 302 of FIG. 3B,rewriting of transparency information (α) to 100% and the colorinformation to red is performed only for the numbers corresponding tothe AF frame setting table indicated in FIG. 3D generated by the AFframe information generation unit 105. The color information includes aluminance value and color difference values and/or R (red), G (green),and B (blue) values. In the present embodiment, processing for updatingthe AF frame setting table is executed by the CPU 104 a of thecontroller 104 without accessing the image memory (the VRAM) in whichthe AF frame image is rendered, and so a high-speed rewrite is possible.Accordingly, AF frame display processing is accelerated, and it becomespossible to display AF frames that follow the movement of the object andfocus detection. Also, in a case where the data capacity of the AF framesetting table is fixed, it is possible to change the color informationand transparency information resolution in accordance with the number ofAF frames within the data capacity. For example, as illustrated in FIG.7, in a case where the AF frame setting table is of a 256-byte capacity,it is possible to store the data of the color information andtransparency information each in 8 bits when the number of frames is 64.Similarly, it is possible to store data for each of the colorinformation and transparency information in 4 bits when the number offrames is 128, 2 bits when the number of frames is 256, and 1 bit whenthe number of frames is 512.

In step S206, the CPU 104 a reads the all-AF-frames image 302 of FIG. 3Bfrom the image memory (VRAM) (not shown graphically) or the like by thedisplay processor 107. Also, the CPU 104 a, based on the AF framesetting table rewritten in step S205, generates the AF frame image 304in which only the AF frames 305 of the in-focus position as illustratedin FIG. 3C are displayable from the all-AF-frames image 302 of FIG. 3B.Regarding the all-AF-frames image 302, the size of one frame and thenumber of frames can change depending on the characteristics of theimage sensor 101 or the like. The all-AF-frames image 302 may be storedin the memory 104 b of the controller 104 in advance, and may begenerated by the CPU 104 a or a rendering processor such as in a GPU(not shown graphically).

In step S207, the CPU 104 a composites, by the display processor 107,the live view image outputted from the development processor 103 and theAF frame image 304 generated in step S206, and thereby generates thecomposite image 301 illustrated in FIG. 3A.

In step S208, the CPU 104 a displays the composite image 301 generatedin step S207 on the display apparatus 108 and then repeats theprocessing from step S201.

Next, the processing from step S202 to step S208 of FIG. 2A will bedescribed using the timing charts illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B.

The focus detection timings are indicated by FT (Focus Timing), and forexample, focus detection is performed at a frequency of 120 Hz or 60 Hz,and the focus information is updated at each FT.

Display timings are indicated by DT (Display Timing), and there arecases where their period is different to that of the FTs, and there arecases where their period is the same as that of the FTs but the phase isdifferent. The focus information F1 updated at FT1 is obtained at DT1,and used as table mask information M1 for the AF frame setting table, tooutput a display of image information D1. By updating the AF framesetting table at the closest DT from the FT change point, it is possibleto display AF frames that follow the focus detection. The table maskinformation M is updated at a rising change point of a DT wave, and theperiod of time from the fall to the rise of the DT wave is an activedisplay period, and display of the image D is outputted.

By the above-described processing, AF frame display processing isaccelerated, and it becomes possible to display AF frames that followthe movement of the object and focus detection.

Note that in the first embodiment, an example of displaying six adjacentAF frames 305 in the all-AF-frames image 302 was given, but it ispossible to simultaneously display AF frames on a plurality of separatedregions (three locations) 601, 602, and 603 in the imaging screen asillustrated in FIG. 6A. Furthermore, it is possible to set the colors ofthe AF frames of the three locations 601, 602, and 603 illustrated inFIG. 6A to be different colors such as red, blue, and green in the AFframe setting table as illustrated in FIG. 6B.

Second Embodiment

In the second embodiment, AF frame display processing in which, from theall-AF-frames image arranged two-dimensionally in the imaging screen,only AF frames corresponding to an in-focus object position are cut out(extracted), and displayed to be superimposed on the live view imagewill be described.

FIG. 1B exemplifies an apparatus configuration of a digital camera ofthe second embodiment. In the digital camera 10 of the presentembodiment, an AF frame generation unit 205 is provided in place of theAF frame information generation unit 105 illustrated in FIG. 1A of thefirst embodiment. Other configurations are similar to FIG. 1A and sodescription thereof is omitted.

The AF frame generation unit 205 generates an AF frame image inaccordance with the position and shape of an in-focus object detected bythe focus/object detector 102. The AF frame generation unit 205 cutsout, from the all-AF-frames image 402 illustrated in FIG. 4B, an AFframe 403 indicated in FIG. 4C in accordance with the coordinates (x, y)of the position of the in-focus object illustrated in FIG. 4E, forexample, and further generates the AF frame image 404 of only framesthat accord to the shape of the object as illustrated in FIG. 4D. The AFframe image 404 of FIG. 4D, similarly to the first embodiment isgenerated using the AF frame setting table illustrated in FIG. 4F. FIG.4G illustrates an enlargement of the AF frame 403 of FIG. 4C. For eachpixel indicated by the frames 0 to 7 and the region illustrated inhatching other than the frames, information of each pixel value is held.

Next, with reference to FIG. 2B, AF frame display processing by thedigital camera of the second embodiment will be described.

FIG. 2B is a flowchart for illustrating AF frame display processing atthe time of shooting performed by the digital camera of the presentembodiment. Note that the processing of FIG. 2B is implemented by theCPU 104 a of the controller 104 executing a program stored in the memory104 b, and thereby controlling each part of the camera. Note that theprocessing of FIG. 2B is started when the digital camera 10 is activatedand an AF mode is set.

In step S211, the CPU 104 a obtains object distance informationcalculated by the focus/object detector 102. The focus/object detector102 calculates object distance information from parallax informationobtained from the A image region and the B image region illustrated inFIG. 8C, and outputs it to the controller 104.

In step S212, the CPU 104 a obtains object information indicating aposition, shape, and a degree of focus of the object calculated by thefocus/object detector 102.

In step S213, the CPU 104 a, based on the object distance obtained instep S211 and the object information obtained in step S212, determineswhether it is possible to detect the position of an in-focus object.

In a case where an in-focus object cannot be detected in step S213, theCPU 104 a, after making the AF frame not displayed in step S214, returnsto step S212 and obtains the object information once again. In stepS212, object position detection is performed. Meanwhile, in a case whereit is not possible to detect the position of an in-focus object in stepS213, the CPU 104 a rewrites the AF frame setting table illustrated inFIG. 4F in accordance with the position of the in-focus object in stepS215. For example, in a case where the positions of the in-focus objectare the six regions whose frame numbers are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7illustrated in FIG. 4D, transparency information (α) is rewritten to100% and the color information to red only for the numbers correspondingto the AF frame setting table illustrated in FIG. 4F out of the AF frame403 illustrated in FIG. 4C generated by the AF frame generation unit205. The color information may be set by a luminance value and colordifference values or R (red), G (green), and B (blue) values, or thelike. In the present embodiment, processing for updating the AF framesetting table is executed by the CPU 104 a of the controller 104 withoutaccessing the image memory (the VRAM) in which the AF frame image isrendered, and so a high-speed rewrite is possible. Accordingly, AF framedisplay processing is accelerated, and it becomes possible to display AFframes that follow the movement of the object in the live view image andfocus detection. Also, in a case where the data capacity of the AF framesetting table is fixed, it is possible to change the color informationand transparency information resolution in accordance with the number ofAF frames within the data capacity. For example, as illustrated in FIG.7, in a case where the AF frame setting table is fixed at a 256-bytecapacity, it is possible to store the data of the color information andtransparency information each in 8 bits when the number of frames is 64.Similarly, it is possible to store data for each of the colorinformation and transparency information in 4 bits when the number offrames is 128, 2 bits when the number of frames is 256, and 1 bit whenthe number of frames is 512.

In step S216, the CPU 104 a reads the all-AF-frames image 402illustrated in FIG. 4B from the image memory (VRAM) (not showngraphically) or the like by the display processor 107, cuts out the AFframe 403 illustrated in FIG. 4C in accordance with the in-focus objectposition from the all-AF-frames image 402, and further generates the AFframe image 404 of only frames that accord to the object shape asillustrated in FIG. 4D. Regarding the all-AF-frames image 402, the sizeof one frame and the number of frames can change depending on thecharacteristics of the image sensor 101 or the like. The all-AF-framesimage 402 may be stored in the memory 104 b of the controller 104 inadvance, and may be generated by the CPU 104 a or a rendering processorsuch as in a GPU (not shown graphically).

In step S217, the CPU 104 a, by the display processor 107, composites,in accordance with the coordinates (x, y) of the position of the objectillustrated in FIG. 4E, the live view image outputted from thedevelopment processor 103 and the AF frame image 404 generated in stepS216, and thereby generates the composite image 401 illustrated in FIG.4A. Regarding the position of the object illustrated in FIG. 4E, it ispossible to composite by designating positions in the horizontaldirection x and the vertical direction y with the top-left of the liveview image as the origin, for example.

In step S218, the CPU 104 a displays the composite image 401 generatedin step S217 on the display apparatus 108, and repeats the processingfrom step S211.

Next, the processing from step S212 to step S218 of FIG. 2B will bedescribed using the timing charts illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B.

For example, focus detection is performed at a frequency of 120 Hz or 60Hz, and object information is updated at each focus detection timing FT.For the display timing DT, the object information F1 updated at FT1 isobtained at DT1, and used as table mask information M1 for the AF framesetting table, to output a display of image information D1. By updatingthe AF frame setting table at the closest DT from the FT change point,it is possible to display AF frames that follow the focus detection. Thetable mask information M is updated at a rising change point of the DTwave, and the period of time from the fall to the rise of the DT wave isan active display period, and display of the image D is outputted.

By the above-described processing, AF frame display processing isaccelerated, and it becomes possible to display AF frames that followthe movement and position of the object.

Note that in the second embodiment, an example of displaying sixadjacent AF frames (AF frame image 404) in the all-AF-frames image 402was given, but it is possible to simultaneously display AF frames on aplurality of separated regions (three locations) 601, 602, and 603 inthe imaging screen as illustrated in FIG. 6A. Furthermore, it ispossible to set the colors of the AF frames of the three locations 601,602, and 603 illustrated in FIG. 6A to be different colors such as red,blue, and green in the AF frame setting table as illustrated in FIG. 6B.

Other Embodiments

Embodiment(s) of the present invention can also be realized by acomputer of a system or apparatus that reads out and executes computerexecutable instructions (e.g., one or more programs) recorded on astorage medium (which may also be referred to more fully as a‘non-transitory computer-readable storage medium’) to perform thefunctions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s) and/orthat includes one or more circuits (e.g., application specificintegrated circuit (ASIC)) for performing the functions of one or moreof the above-described embodiment(s), and by a method performed by thecomputer of the system or apparatus by, for example, reading out andexecuting the computer executable instructions from the storage mediumto perform the functions of one or more of the above-describedembodiment(s) and/or controlling the one or more circuits to perform thefunctions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s). Thecomputer may comprise one or more processors (e.g., central processingunit (CPU), micro processing unit (MPU)) and may include a network ofseparate computers or separate processors to read out and execute thecomputer executable instructions. The computer executable instructionsmay be provided to the computer, for example, from a network or thestorage medium. The storage medium may include, for example, one or moreof a hard disk, a random-access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM),a storage of distributed computing systems, an optical disk (such as acompact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD), or Blu-ray Disc (BD)™),a flash memory device, a memory card, and the like.

While the present invention has been described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of thefollowing claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all such modifications and equivalent structures andfunctions.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No.2018-091406, filed May 10, 2018 which is hereby incorporated byreference herein in its entirety.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image capturing apparatus, comprising: adetector configured to detect a focus adjustment position in an image; aprocessor configured to generate a composite image in which a guideindicating the detected position is superimposed on the image; a displayconfigured to display the composite image generated by the processor; acontroller configured to update, in accordance with information of theposition detected by the detector, display information used forprocessing for generating the composite image; and a memory configuredto store guide images including a plurality of guides of a quantityequal to a number of positions that the detector can detect in a wholeimage, wherein the display information includes information indicating aratio of compositing the image with respective guides, and thecontroller updates the information indicating the ratio such that amongthe plurality of guides a transparency of the guide corresponding to thedetected position is lower than a transparency of the guide notcorresponding to the detected position, wherein the display informationis stored as a lookup table that the controller updates, and within adata capacity of the lookup table, a resolution of informationindicating the ratio for compositing can be changed in accordance withthe quantity of the plurality of guides.
 2. The apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the guide is a frame that indicates the detectedposition.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the displayinformation includes respective color information of the plurality ofguides.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein within a datacapacity of the lookup table, a resolution of the color information andthe information indicating the ratio for compositing can be changed inaccordance with the quantity of the plurality of guides.
 5. Theapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller updates thedisplay information at a display timing closest to a detection timing ofthe detector.
 6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the focusadjustment position is an in-focus position according to an autofocusfunction or a position of an in-focus object.
 7. The apparatus accordingto claim 1, further comprising an image sensor configured to image animage, wherein the plurality of guides are superimposed on a focusadjustment position in an imaged live view image.
 8. A method forcontrolling an image capture apparatus having a detector, a processor, adisplay and a controller, the method comprising: detecting a focusadjustment position in an image; generating a composite image in which aguide indicating the detected position is superimposed on the image;displaying the composite image generated by the processor; updating, inaccordance with information of the position detected by the detector,display information used for processing for generating the compositeimage; and storing guide images including a plurality of guides of aquantity equal to the number of positions that the detector can detectin a whole image, wherein the display information includes informationindicating a ratio of compositing the image with respective guides, andthe information is updated to indicate the ratio such that among theplurality of guides a transparency of the guide corresponding to thedetected position is lower than a transparency of the guide notcorresponding to the detected position, wherein the display informationis stored as a lookup table that the controller updates, and within adata capacity of the lookup table, a resolution of informationindicating the ratio for compositing can be changed in accordance withthe quantity of the plurality of guides.
 9. The method according toclaim 8, wherein the guide is a frame that indicates the detectedposition.
 10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the displayinformation includes respective color information of the plurality ofguides.
 11. The method according to claim 10, wherein within a datacapacity of the lookup table, a resolution of the color information andthe information indicating the ratio for compositing can be changed inaccordance with the quantity of the plurality of guides.
 12. The methodaccording to claim 8, wherein the controller updates the displayinformation at a display timing closest to the detection timing of thedetector.
 13. The method according to claim 8, wherein the focusadjustment position is an in-focus position according to an autofocusfunction or a position of an in-focus object.
 14. The method accordingto claim 8, wherein the plurality of guides are superimposed at a focusadjustment position in a live view image imaged by an image sensor. 15.A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program forcausing a computer to execute a method for controlling an image captureapparatus having a detector, a processor, a display and a controller,the method comprising: detecting a focus adjustment position in animage; generating a composite image in which a guide indicating thedetected position is superimposed on the image; displaying the compositeimage generated by the processor; updating, in accordance withinformation of the position detected by the detector, displayinformation used for processing for generating the composite image; andstoring guide images including a plurality of guides of a quantity equalto the number of positions that the detector can detect in a wholeimage, wherein the display information includes information indicating aratio of compositing the image with respective guides, and theinformation is updated to indicate the ratio such that among theplurality of guides a transparency of the guide corresponding to thedetected position is lower than a transparency of the guide notcorresponding to the detected position, wherein the display informationis stored as a lookup table that the controller updates, and within adata capacity of the lookup table, a resolution of informationindicating the ratio for compositing can be changed in accordance withthe quantity of the plurality of guides.